Rotary District 9800
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Bushfire Relief - Black Saturday
The tragedy of “Black Saturday” propelled Rotary District 9800 into the largest Australian humanitarian project in its history. Funds had to be raised to support the project, survey and liaison work had to be undertaken along with essential consultation with affected communities, projects had to be identified and assessed, and projects had to be implemented. While nearly 1 million dollars was raised by donation for the cause, this could never be enough to satisfy all genuine needs. Nevertheless, the funds have enabled development of contacts with survivors and their communities and establishment of a high level of trust between them and Rotary.
The single most serious effect from the tragedy has been trauma and associated stresses that survivors must seek to overcome. Rotary has concentrated heavily on this matter and most of its recovery work is ultimately aimed at demonstrating genuine concern and supporting survivors and their communities at this time of extraordinary psychological pressure. The issue will continue to need attention for several years to come: it will not be easily overcome, and we can only hope that Rotary’s efforts will help to make the journey to recovery easier for those involved.
For further details please contact Past President Mev O'Connell of Rotary Club of Melbourne
